


Quiet Wars

by DrakiShevioNalombre



Series: Fairy Tales Remake [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Snow White and the Huntsman Fusion, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Magic!Tony, Soulmates kinda, dragon!Bucky, dwarf!Friday, dwarf!Hulk, dwarf!Jarvis, dwarf!Yinsen, dwarf!characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 19:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16625090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrakiShevioNalombre/pseuds/DrakiShevioNalombre
Summary: Huntsman Bucky is sent out to assassinate Prince Tony in the woods and bring his heart to King Obadiah. The problem? Prince Tony turns out pretty hard to kill, and his heart is a price worth way more than Bucky could have imagined. Not to mention the hunter is haunted by his own demons…





	Quiet Wars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LiliaNox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliaNox/gifts).



> Hello dear readers! 
> 
> So, this is my first work on AO3, as I'm not a native English speaker. But I hope it will bring you joy and that you will leave a cute kudo at the end!
> 
> This is the result of the Reverse Winteriron Bang 2018, with the perfect LiliaNox having made this utmost treasure for my inspiration (go say hi):  
> https://www.deviantart.com/lilianox/art/Dragon-Arm-Bucky-Barnes-772601435?ga_submit_new=10%3A1542227320
> 
> Anyway, place for the script.

When he woke up, Barnes knew there was something wrong. He could only barely feel his fingertips, and not at all his legs. He was sluggish and couldn’t concentrate. Then a hideous face showed up and he understood.

He had been kidnapped. Again. The worst thing was that he was hearing Steve next to him. His best friend was groaning in pain, as if he had been beaten repeatedly. How could Bucky haven’t heard him, heard them?

“Well there. At least you open your eyes.”

Barnes moved his head an inch, and even that caused him to feel like thunder crashed inside his brain. The voice was quite joyful, not adapted to their situation. At all. His burning eyes finally found its origin. The bald man was quite ugly, with his treacherous smile and his too narrowed eyes. He almost looked like a snake, and Barnes was like anyone else for this. He hated them.

“So, my monstrous friend, here is the deal. I need you to kill someone. It’s a little brat and he has escaped me a while ago. Unfortunately, the last attempts didn’t quite go well for the hunters, so I’m stepping my game with you.

\- Why would I help you?”

Wow, that had taken way too much energy. Bucky would remember to keep his answers short. Mean and ugly moved his head just a fraction and he suddenly heard Steve scream. His whole body froze, imagining the pain his friend must be in. The blonde was not a complainer, that Barnes knew, so if he even let a sound to their capturers… His bangs in his face, he nodded. Immediately, the screaming stopped, only replaced by harsh breathing.

“As you had surely understood, your friend over there will stay with me. However, his condition will only be monitored by your actions. I give you 60 days to give me the body of the man I want, or else he dies. Are we clear?

\- Yes.”

The answer was immediate, because what else could he do? He has been drugged so much even hearing was hurting his head. He couldn’t possibly defend himself, and not Steve either. The crooked smile came back to the white face, sending a wave of disgust in Bucky’s whole body.

“Perfect! These are the information you need to know…”

As he registered the man’s words, Barnes knew he had fell head first into trouble again.

 

***

 

“Dum-E, just shup up. It’s not even dangerous. Why would you think I could burn myself with tomatoes?

\- Well, obviously it’s red.

\- Yeah?

\- Like fire.

\- Oh. I see. But you remember that colour doesn’t make the whole thing? Plus, you eat tomatoes.

\- In the soup. Which is hot.”

As usual, the dwarf was curious enough to make comments but not to listen to the explanation. Tony shrugged slightly and the little one took that as a signal to walk back to their house. Tony sighted but hid a fond smile. Dum-E was the youngest of them all, barely out of childhood, but he could be fiercely determined sometimes. Especially when he thought he was right, even if that didn’t happen too often.

“Tony!

\- Yeah?”

Keeping cutting the tomatoes, Tony heard Yinsen coming next to him, inspecting his work.

“Still that bad, hum?

\- What?! Oh, come on! I even cut them in squares this time.

\- More like mashed them together.”

While he was spluttering, the oldest of them all took the knife from him and pushed him aside.

“We’re out of parsley. Go grab some.

\- Are you joking?

\- Come on, kid. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Tony knew he was going to take that stupid parsley, but just for the love of it, he kept mumbling to his elder.

“I am not one of your damn kids, Yinsen. Not even your wife, so stop ordering me around.

\- I have been for two years, not gonna stop now. Go make yourself useful, young man.”

And he made a shooing motion with the knife. Tony was exasperated. But also kind of grateful. He had trouble admitting it, but the dwarves were members of his family now, even the recent additions. He couldn’t have possibly survived this all alone after all, and some of them had directly saved his life.

Faltering his steps, Tony touched the glowing stone implanted in his chest. Even two years later, having a piece of foreign origin in his body was bothering. But he had to adapt, because this would most likely never be removed. It was his heart after all.

Just as he thought that, a black figure lounged for it.

If it was not for his reflexes, Tony was sure it would have been reaped away. He immediately pushed thoughts aside and put his combat mindset. The man that was attacking him was strong and fast. Covered everywhere except the head, with his hair in a ponytail. A dagger in each boot, a langsax on his left side and what looked suspiciously like metal stars in his right pocket. His hand had barely brushed his chest, but that was far too close for Tony’s liking. His whole body was screaming _danger_!

“What do you want?”

The stranger’s face was blank, et Tony was dreading his answer.

“Your life.”

And damn. Again. It has been quite some time, but Tony was still aware that Obadiah would never stop searching for him. And it seems that the threat was more dangerous this time. The man in front of him felt dangerous, and Tony almost knew why. His steely stare, as sharp and clear as a diamond, assessing his movement. His squared shoulders, muscled, tensed and ready to fight. His lowered position, as if he was two seconds away from pouncing on him to get a grip and tear his life out of him.

Silently, Tony began his spell. The menace was too great to be ignored and dealt with bare hands only.

As if he has felt the magic, the stranger attacked him, and they landed on the ground. Tony retrieved successfully a dagger and cut his opponent on his arm. He had aimed for the collarbone, but in a blurred movement, the other had disarmed him. They were now rolling, the stranger trying to pin him on the forest floor. Fortunately, roots made excellent pushing helps and Tony was managing to keep moving. He just needed a minute more and the spell would be ready. Just…

A hand suddenly gripped his neck and he fell flat on the ground. The man was now above him, unmoved by the hands trying to get him off.  He was only squeezing lightly, threatening to make him behave, but Tony felt panic rose in his chest. He hated it when people were touching his neck. And even more when it was a mercenary.

His magic reacted on instinct, pushing the man on the other side of the clearing, effectively freeing its master. Then the spell was completed, and when his opponent tried to come back to him, he was stop by an invisible force.

Reassured that his now prisoner was not going to escape, Tony fled. He needed to breath.

 

***

 

Bucky had been this close to killing the man. So close… Before being trapped in this stupid magic cell. It was like the air around him wasn’t letting him move more than a few feet before compressing him to the ground. It’s been almost a day since their confrontation and he was already restless.

He knew that Stark had been waiting for another assassin, but Obadiah wasn’t aware that he could use magic and so neither had he been. What an incredibly shitty situation he was in. With the chase, Bucky had lost twenty-six days already and Steve had only thirty-four more. He had to escape this prison, kill the magician and take his body to the king, or his best friend would die.

“You look as murderous as before.

\- It is my mission to kill you.”

Stark sighed and pushed himself off the tree. His prisoner watched him warily, trying to see either a weakness or a weapon. Instead, the man showed his hands.

“I don’t want to die, Mister Mission. What has Obadiah offered for you to be so adamant to kill me?

\- None of your business.

\- I can pay you more than him. That is why the two last assassins never came back.”

Bucky relaxed a little, knowing the man now in front of him hasn’t killed all his predecessors. Even if his strange glowing stone was surely meaning that one of them had been close enough, and most likely had faced a tragic end.

“Seriously, I would rather not have to let you rot here for the next ten years.”

Tension immediately came back in his body. Ten years? He didn’t have that time. Steve would be dead in a month!

“I have no interest in money. It’s nothing personal, but I have to take you back to the castle and I seriously think it would be better for you if you are already dead.”

Stark lifted an eyebrow and grunted. He then crouched in front of his seated prisoner, looking him at eye-level.

“How about I help you instead? Because if money is not the bargaining ship, I suppose it is something else you want back.”

Bucky’s eyes narrowed and his jaw set. This deal was only smoke. Obadiah was too powerful to be fooled and why would the man help him rescue Steve?

“I am planning on taking the castle. Once that is done, I will give you back whatever is yours inside.

\- You’re a fool. Obadiah is the king for a reason. He has power, money and an army.

\- I have loyalty, magic and spies. You would be a nice addition.”

They stared at each other fifteen more uneasy seconds before Stark stood up. He readjusted his clothes before looking at him with intensity.

“I will come back tomorrow to hear your answer. After that, either you will be freed from this cage, or you will stay there until you die and earth have taken your body back.”

He didn’t make it outside the clearing before Bucky was calling him back.

“I accept!”

Suspicion crept ostensibly onto Stark’s face as he turned back to him.

“I don’t believe you.

\- I know. But I don’t have the time to wait.”

One eyebrow up and Bucky knew what was coming.

“What does Obadiah have?”

To calm down, the prisoner racked his hand in his hair. He had to tell him. It was the only way of getting out of this. Truth against freedom.

“My best friend. He will die if I don’t give you up.”

Surprise then a hit of sadness shadowed the face of the other man.

“How much more time?

\- Thirty-four days.”

A hand then hid his expression from his prisoner. That made Bucky uneasy. Without seeing, he couldn’t decipher what Stark was thinking.

After what felt like years but where really just minutes, the hand fell and the icy brown eyes pinned him down. A shiver ran through his spine and he braced himself for the verdict.

“There is one condition. You have to make a blood oath.”

Bucky knew he flinched, but he couldn’t help it. Stark wanted him to bind himself by _blood_. Meaning, if he ever breaks it, he would die. And considering his nature, that promise would last for a really long time.

“You have to vow so that if you let me die, you will die alongside me.”

Or a far shortest amount if Stark asked him to bind them by death. Bucky felt anger rise.

“I will never imprison myself to be the slave of anyone.”

Not even Steve was more precious to him than his freedom. That seemed to make Stark faltered. His brows drew together and his lips thinned.

“I am not… I do not want you to be my slave.

\- Asking me to protect you until the day you die, making me die at the same time, is enslaving me. And I’ll not accept that.

\- I repeat that this is not what I want from you.

\- Phrase it better then.”

Stark paused and for a second his eyes narrowed. Yeah, Bucky could be a little shit, even when he was imprisoned.

“How about a vow that you will never hurt me, in any way. Including harming myself or my family or conspiring against us.”

Meaning he could choose to do nothing about the conflict, or help the man get the castle back and save Steve. And after everything, he would be free to wander around again, searching for his destiny.

“Sounds better. How do we do it?

\- I just need some specific ingredients. Then, we both cut our hands, intertwined them together and pronounce the vows. Blood meeting and the magic will bound the truth to be real. Come on, take your left glove off. I already have your dagger. I will just go and take…”

His voice seemed suddenly locked in his throat. Ah, yes. Bucky should have known that his draconic hand would surprise his new acquaintance.


End file.
